We’re not even in July, and 2025 has already been a big year for Italy. First, it’s Rome’s Jubilee year, a once-every-25-years Catholic tradition that kicked off in December 2024. Then, in April, Pope Francis died and Pope Leo—a Chicagoan—took up the role in May. Next year, the country will host the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games. That’s on top of new hotels, new museums, and the delicious food, varied landscape, and dynamic, ancient-meets-modern cities that drew in nearly 68.5 million tourists last year.
Among the cultural capitals of Rome, Florence, and Milan, picturesque villages, countryside destinations like Tuscany and Umbria, more than 4,700 miles of coast, and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, there’s more in Italy than one could feasibly see and do in a lifetime. Classical architecture, pasta, and wine are everywhere, from scenic Puglian villages all the way north to the Dolomites, so focus on what you want to do. Are you after a White Lotus–level beach experience? Modern art in an 18th-century palazzo? A ruins-and-gelato itinerary? We’ve got you covered with our guide to some of the classic and more emerging destinations to consider for a trip to Italy this year—or next.
Related: When Is the Best Time to Visit Italy? It Depends on Your Travel Plans.
I’m going on my first trip to Italy. Where should I start?
In Rome, old sites, such as the Largo di Torre Argentina, juxtapose with the modern.
Courtesy of Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali
Rome
While many first-time travelers to Italy go the classic route of combining Rome, Florence, and Venice, visiting all three in one trip might cause sensory overload. It’s better to start with one city. Rome made the list of Afar’s top places to go in 2024, and it still reigns supreme. Dozens of new hotels have opened in the past two years, including Bulgari Hotel Rome, Six Senses Rome, and the Rome Edition, as well as independent boutique options such as Palazzo Italia, designed by Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino. A Rosewood is set to open next year, and a Nobu Hotel is in the works.
Exciting exhibitions and cultural happenings are taking place in the Eternal City this year, too. A colorful exhibition on flowers, from the Renaissance to AI, is on at Chiostro del Bramante until January 18, 2026. Over at MAXXI (the museum of 21st-century art), half a dozen shows are opening this fall, including a retrospective of black-and-white portraits by photographer Elisabetta Catalano. In cool weather, try a walking or running tour by ArcheoRunning founder Isabella Calidonna, an art historian and personal trainer who guides participants to dig deeper into Michelangelo’s contributions to Rome beyond the Sistine Chapel. And a new Vespa tour developed by Scooteroma combines street art with street food.
Where to stay
Book now: Casa Monti
Between the Roman Forum and Termini Station, the bohemian neighborhood of Monti has long been a favorite of Romans and in-the-know travelers, but it didn’t have an appealing boutique hotel until Casa Monti opened in mid-2024. The 36 rooms and suites are decorated with colorful prints, tiled bathrooms, and handmade ceramics.
I’m interested in art, architecture, and design. Where should I go?
Milan’s Prada Foundation is known for its avant-garde art exhibitions and installations, like Belgian artist Carsten Höller’s Synchro System.
Photo by posztos/Shutterstock
Milan
Italy’s design capital, Milan, is a must-visit destination for architecture and design buffs. Travel back to the 1930s with a visit to Villa Necchi Campiglio, an iconic house-museum designed by Piero Portaluppi that appeared in Luca Guadagnino’s 2009 film I Am Love. Triennale Milano’s exhibitions focus on design and architecture, looking at housing in emergency contexts and the intersection of bacteria and buildings. Next to the Duomo, itself worth visiting to admire the Gothic architecture and sculptures, the Palazzo Reale di Milano has several summer and fall shows, including a Man Ray retrospective through January 16, 2026. Prada Foundation will kick off 2026 with a solo show of work by Palestinian-British multimedia artist Mona Hatoum. The city’s newest museum, the Palazzo Citterio, was 50 years in the making and opened in December 2024, establishing a temple to contemporary art in an 18th-century palazzo.
Where to stay
Book now: Portrait Milano
The talk of the town is the Portrait Milano by the Ferragamo family, which restored a 16th-century seminary, opening it up to the public for the first time. The residential-inspired design by lauded architect Michele Bönan is the epitome of Italian style, with lots of polished wood, art tomes, archival Ferragamo sketches, and marble bathrooms. Be sure to book a table for lunch or dinner at the hotel’s 10_11 restaurant so you can try chef Luigi Cinotti’s elevated take on pasta in bianco.
I want to sip wine and have already been to Tuscany. Where next?
Casa di Langa offers cooking classes, truffle hunting, and Vespa tours.
Courtesy of Casa di Langa
Piedmont
Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is more under the radar than Tuscany, except perhaps when it comes to wine tourism. The region is known for producing the pricey barolos and barbarescos that have wine collectors clamoring to stock their cellars. Gaja, founded by Angelo Gaja, one of the trailblazing winemakers who put Piedmont on the map in the 1970s, will organize a tour and tasting for people who donate at least €300 to a local charity. There are also plenty of more accessible wineries, like the historic Cantine Damilano, which has a couple of wine shops where you can taste and purchase its barolo, barbera, and dolcetto.
Where to stay
Book now: Casa di Langa
Casa di Langa is conveniently located in the heart of the hilly Langhe area, near the top wineries. The 39-room hotel operates on 100 percent renewable energy, is plastic-free, and recycles all the water used to irrigate its vineyards. After exploring the nearby wineries, relax with a massage incorporating local honey and hazelnut oil at the spa.
Where can I find the beauty of the Amalfi Coast, but without the crowds?
Ischia, an island in the Bay of Naples, has crystal clear waters and plenty of places for a sunset spritz.
Photo by Evannovostro/Shutterstock
Ischia and Ponza
Try one of the islands, such as Ischia in the Bay of Naples or Ponza, off the coast of Lazio. Ischia has become an increasingly popular destination, but it’s still scrappier than Capri, its glamorous sister island. Plus, it’s much larger than Capri, so there’s more room to spread out and explore its many beaches; charming towns like Forio, full of lively restaurants, bars, and boutiques; wineries; and attractions like La Mortella and the Giardini Ravino botanical gardens. Ischia has been drawing travelers to soak in its natural thermal hot springs since the ancient Greeks arrived on its shores; you can enjoy the benefits of the island’s mineral-rich waters at thermal parks like Negombo and the Fonte delle Ninfe Nitrodi.
Ponza is popular among domestic tourists (especially Romans, given its proximity to Rome—one to three hours by boat—and its affordability) but lacks the hordes of international travelers that flock to Italy’s larger islands. The landscape looks much like the Amalfi Coast, with Mediterranean plants, winding roads along vertiginous cliffs, and aquamarine waters, but it’s more down to earth and affordable. The action is mainly near the port, lined with pastel buildings housing holiday homes, restaurants, bars, and shops. Most of the beaches are rocky, but if you prefer sand, head to Cala Feola, a sweet little beach where you can spread your towel.
Where to stay
Book now: Albergo della Regina Isabella
In Ischia, publisher and filmmaker Angelo Rizzoli created the Albergo della Regina Isabella in the 1950s; staying there feels like stepping back into that era, thanks to the hand-painted tile floors and original furnishings. The place to stay in Ponza is Hotel Chiaia di Luna, which exemplifies the island’s breezy retro style.
Related: Yes, You Can Actually Enjoy Italy Without the Crowds. Here’s How.
OK, but where are the beaches that Italians actually go to?
Trulli houses, such as these in the town of Alberobello, are an iconic structural design of Puglia’s Itria Valley.
Photo by thegrimfandango/Shutterstock
Puglia
Italy has more than 4,700 miles of coastline, so if you were to ask 100 Italians what their favorite beach is, you’d probably get 100 different answers. That said, Italians tend to flock south to Puglia, Sicily, and Sardinia in the summer.
The heel of the boot, Puglia has gorgeous beaches on both the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, as well as at its southern tip, where the two seas meet. The Valle d’Itria, a particularly picturesque part of central Puglia, is home to whitewashed villages like Alberobello, Polignano a Mare, Cisternino, and Ostuni, as well as gently rolling hills dotted with olive trees and trulli, ancient dwellings with conical roofs.
For the best beaches in Puglia, many Italians swear by those in Salento, the southernmost part of the region. The beach called Pescoluse is sometimes referred to as “the Maldives of Salento.” The beaches on the Ionian side are especially nice, with large stretches of sand and clear water that tends to be calmer than on the Adriatic side.
Where to stay
Book now: Borgo Egnazia
This member of the Leading Hotels of the World in the lush Valle d’Itria was a trailblazing resort in the region. It’s still one of the best places to stay because of its many amenities, including a Michelin-starred restaurant, beach club, luxurious spa, two pools, and events like the annual cherry festival, where guests experience a bit of Pugliese culture. Or you could rent a villa through the Thinking Traveller and stay in a trullo or a (luxuriously) converted masseria (farmhouse).
I want to combine a bustling city with relaxation in the countryside. What’s a good mix?
You’ll need a minimum of two to three days to see Florence’s main sights.
Photo by Laura Itzkowitz
Florence and the Val d’Orcia
These two make for a classic combination. You can have all the excitement of visiting one of Italy’s most important cities and then retreat to the Tuscan countryside for some R&R.
First-time visitors to Florence will want to see the city’s main sights, including the Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, and Ponte Vecchio, gaze upon artistic treasures at the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia, and indulge in local cuisine, like pici (a sort of long, thick spaghetti) and a hearty bistecca fiorentina, a steak of local Chianina beef. You’ll need a minimum of two or three days to see Florence’s top attractions, such as the Baptistery, whose 12th-century mosaics visitors can see up close while they’re being restored. Stay longer or, if you’re planning a return trip, dig a bit deeper by exploring the artsy Oltrarno neighborhood, across the river from the centro storico, and make time for smaller museums and galleries like Palazzo Strozzi, where you can see contemporary art exhibitions in a Renaissance palazzo.
After a few days in Florence, rent a car and venture about 70 miles south to Val d’Orcia. You can bike through the rolling Tuscan hills, visit vineyards in Montalcino and Montepulciano, and take a cooking class at Podere il Casale, a working farm producing cheese, charcuterie, olive oil, and wine. Spend an afternoon exploring the appealing Renaissance town of Pienza, where you can admire the hanging gardens of Palazzo Piccolomini and meet local artists and designers like Paolo Porcu Rodriguez, who makes leather bags, scarab jewelry, and colorful scarves with geometric prints inspired by the floors of the nearby Monte Oliveto Abbey at Officine 904.
Where to stay
Book now: Borgo San Vincenzo
In Florence, consider staying in Oltrarno to escape the crowds. Betty Soldi and her partner, Matteo Perduca—a modern-day Renaissance man and woman (he’s a lawyer and she’s a calligrapher)—run a handful of eclectically decorated B&Bs in historic buildings, including OltrarnoSplendid, AdAstra, and SoprArno Suites. In the Val d’Orcia, check into 21-room Borgo San Vincenzo, an intimate resort occupying a handful of buildings from the 1700s with a lovely pool, bikes you can borrow, and a concierge team ready to customize an itinerary of the best things to do in the area.
I travel for the food. What’s a less crowded foodie destination?
Explore royal palaces and eat the world’s best pizza in the same day—only in Italy.
Photo by Laura Itzkowitz
Caserta
You’ve likely had memorable pizza in cities like Rome and Naples, but for Italy’s best pizza, head to Caserta. This small city, about 25 miles north of Naples, has two claims to fame: the Reggia di Caserta, an 18th-century royal palace built to rival Versailles, and pizza. The best mozzarella di bufala comes from this region, and where you have excellent mozzarella, you’re bound to have incredible pizza.
But it’s not just the superior ingredients that make the pizza special. It’s also the pizzaioli like Franco Pepe and Francesco Martucci, who are transforming those ingredients in innovative ways, using techniques and equipment—dehydrators, flash freezers, fermenters, and sous-vide machines, for example—more often found in Michelin-starred restaurants than humble pizzerias.
An innovator when it comes to pizza, Franco Pepe and his pizzeria Pepe in Grani, in the hilltop village of Caiazzo, 25 minutes north of Caserta, were featured on the Netflix show Chef’s Table: Pizza. Meanwhile, Pizzeria I Masanielli, run by Francesco Martucci a few minutes from the Reggia di Caserta, was crowned the world’s best pizzeria by the judges at 50 Top Pizza. Both offer pizza tasting menus as well as à la carte options. But be warned: You’ll need to book a table a month or two in advance.
Where to stay
Book now: A Corte
There aren’t many notable hotels in Caserta, but there are plenty of modest B&Bs, like A Corte, which has four rooms near the medieval part of the city and a friendly owner who will drive you there.
This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on June 30, 2025, with current information. Sophie Friedman contributed to the reporting of this story.
